Hangout in the Holy Land Podcast: Ohio State recruiting update, transfer portal talk
Gene Ross via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ahead of game week, there is lots to talk about involving the Buckeyes.

The latest episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s flagship podcast ‘Hangout in the Holy Land’ is here! Join LGHL’s co-managing editor Gene Ross alongside his co-host Josh Dooley as they cover everything from football to basketball to recruiting and more!

Listen to the episode and subscribe:

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While the guys weren’t planning to hop on the podcast until it was time for the Georgia game preview, there was a lot to discuss in the interim. Ohio State lost its five-star QB commitment in 2024, but gained the No. 1 WR in the class as well since the last episode. Plus, with the topic of the transfer portal hot in the streets, Gene and Josh talk about the Buckeyes’ involvement, including who is coming and going and what other names to be on the lookout for this offseason.

“Hangout in the Holy Land” will be posting two episodes per week during the regular season, with an episode before and after each Ohio State game to give you all the preview and recap content you may need. Be sure to download and listen in wherever you get your podcasts, and leave us a review on Apple to let us know your thoughts and how we can make things even better!

You can also follow us on Twitter @HolyLandPod, where we will want to hear from you guys even more! If there’s anything you’d like us to talk about on the show, @ us and let us know!

As always, Go Bucks.


Connect with the Podcast:
Twitter: @HolyLandPod

Connect with Gene:
Twitter: @Gene_Ross23

Connect with Josh
Twitter: @jdooleybuckeye

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Ohio State’s big targets heading into Signing Day
Dan Hessler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


2023 five-star defensive end Matayo Uiagaleleivia 247Sports

National Signing Day begins Wednesday, and the Buckeyes are still targeting multiple recruits to close out the 2023 class.

This is a busy week for college football recruiting, as the early signing period begins tomorrow. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day and his staff are busy with all things recruiting, and in this new recruiting atmosphere, the staff is likely the busiest it has ever been this time of year. The Buckeyes are still targeting multiple recruits and athletes in the transfer portal as well, and below is just a few of the team’s priority recruits heading into the big day.

Closing out the 2023 class


Ohio State’s 2023 recruiting class is already one of the best in the nation. Currently, the class sits at No. 7 in the 247Sports Class Rankings and sits atop the Big Ten. While this is already quite the accomplishment, the Buckeyes are far from finished in this class. With just one more day left before recruits are able to sign their National Letter of Intent with their school of choice, the Buckeyes will be looking to bolster their class.

Heading into tomorrow, three names sit atop the list for recruits to watch for the Buckeyes. 2023 five-star defensive end targets Matayo Uiagalelei and Damon Wilson both have Ohio State listed among their final schools, and both are expected to announce their decisions tomorrow. Additionally, the top offensive tackle in the transfer portal, Ajani Cornelius, is also scheduled to make his announcement tomorrow as well.

Ohio State has long been recruiting both Uiagalelei and Wilson, and has appeared as the favorites for both at different times. Georgia seems to be the last remaining competition for the Buckeyes when it comes to Wilson, and the Bulldogs seem to hold a slight advantage over the Buckeyes before his recruitment comes to an end. The Buckeyes are far from out of it, and they have done all they can to make a finishing blow, but Georgia remains the favorite to land Wilson tomorrow.

The Buckeyes also sit well with Uiagalelei, who the team has also long been associated with. Ohio State has been viewed as the favorites in this one since the summer, but Uiagalelei has seen a strong uptick in contact with both Oregon and USC since then, and have established themselves as true contenders in this one. Ohio State still holds the advantage in the 247Sports Crystal Ball predictions, but this is far from a guarantee. The Buckeyes chances appear to be stronger with Uiagalelei than the aforementioned Wilson, but either USC or Oregon could easily steal him from Ohio State and keep him out west.

The final name to keep an eye on for tomorrow is the top-viewed offensive lineman in the transfer portal, Cornelius. A rather new aspect related to signing day, and definitely added pressure on the coaching staff, the transfer portal has taken on a new life this year. Ryan Day and the Ohio State coaching staff are having to exert effort in not only keeping kids committed to the program that are already enrolled, but the staff is also recruiting kids who have decided to move on from their original school of choice.

The team has identified multiple targets, but none is bigger than Cornelius, who impressed at Rhode Island this past season. Tennessee is Ohio State’s biggest competition in this one, as he has officially visited with both schools since entering the portal on Dec. 1.

It is incredibly unlikely Ohio State lands all three of the above mentioned recruits, but it looks to be just as unlikely that they miss on all three. Even landing a commitment from just one of them would be a win for the program, as the class is already ranked in the top 10.

Make sure to follow Land-Grant Holy Land as we will keep you up to date on how the above recruitments play out.

Quick Hits

• Ryan Day and the Ohio State football team are not the only coaching staff actively recruiting this time of year. Chris Holtmann and the Ohio State men’s basketball team are constantly hitting the recruiting trail as well. Holtmann has brought in multiple stellar recruiting classes in his six-year tenure at Ohio State and he is looking to build on the momentum.

On Monday, it was reported by Jake Weingarten of stockrisers.com that Ohio State was one of two programs to reach out to four-star shooting guard, and top-50 overall prospect Rakease Passmore. The other program to make contact with him was Oklahoma. Passmore (who has an incredible name for a guard) currently holds scholarship offers from the likes of Indiana, Kansas, Memphis, Oregon, NC State, etc. and will hope to add Ohio State to that list after speaking with the Ohio State coaching staff.


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Ohio State’s Cotie McMahon wins second consecutive women’s basketball Big Ten Freshman of the Week
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

It was a one-game week for Ohio State, but one game was all the Ohioan needed.

Last week, Ohio State women’s basketball freshman Cotie McMahon secured her first Big Ten Player of the Week award. It’s an award an Ohio State player hasn’t received since current redshirt junior Madison Greene received the honor on Feb. 17, 2020. There wasn’t an almost three-year wait this time around, with McMahon doubling up the honor in consecutive weeks.

The Buckeyes faced only one team this week, after narrowly defeating the Michigan State Spartans on Dec. 11. That team wasn’t up there with the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals of the basketball world, but the UAlbany Great Danes still gave Ohio State a rough first half of basketball before the Scarlet & Gray pulled away.

A big piece of Ohio State’s 82-57 win was McMahon. The forward started the game strong, scoring the first nine points for the Buckeyes. McMahon continued her tear, adding another 13 before the final buzzer sounded, making 24 points her new scoring high in her first season of NCAA basketball.

Scoring 20-plus points made Friday night’s win her third game reaching at least 20 points, starting all 11 for the Buckeyes. Of those three high-scoring games, two came in Ohio State’s last three games.

McMahon’s shown a growing maturity after early tests on the season calendar saw the Centerville, Ohioan playing with energy, and attacking the basket, but into crowded spaces and making easy work for college defenses. Since then, and games against Boston College and Louisville where minutes were diminished in place of veterans on the team, McMahon’s shined.

In the last four Ohio State games, McMahon’s scored 14.2 points, grabbed 6.3 rebounds, and dished 3.8 assists per game. That came after averaging 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 1 assist per game in the first seven.

Head coach Kevin McGuff and teammates applauded McMahon’s work over the past few games, referencing how the game is slowing down for the freshman, and instead of rushing to the basket, she’s taking a second to find open teammates and draw attention away.

That doesn’t mean she still isn’t fast. McMahon’s aggressive defense and her movement down the court off turnovers led McGuff to call McMahon “the most exciting 10 seconds in women’s basketball.”

The forward wasn’t alone in receiving the award this week. Rutgers guard Kaylene Smikle averaged 22.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in two games for the Scarlet Knights last week, including a 26-point, eight-rebound, game against the Princeton Tigers.

Currently, McMahon and the Buckeyes are in San Diego, California. On Tuesday, the Scarlet & Gray face the USF Bulls. On Wednesday, they follow that game up against either the Arkansas Razorbacks or Oregon Ducks, depending on the results from either game.

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Column: Last week was crazy for Ohio State, let’s look back
Chris Renne via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Ben Jackson/Getty Images

There was a lot of news, good and bad. Now the Buckeyes aren’t dead, but damn did it take some perseverance from fans to get through this one.

There are not a lot of teams in the country – college or professional – who share the chaotic nature of the Ohio State news cycle. Since Ohio State’s loss to Michigan, the Buckeye faithful have been put through the wringer, and to be honest, it’s been pretty hard to keep up with.

The up and down rollercoaster of being a college football fan has been amplified. This pastime is a year round job now. Missing a day, or two, is missing a lifetime in college football time with how rumors move, dissolve, or become concrete. This past week was the most evident experience of that in recent memory.

Ohio State fans lived through every single aspect of the current landscape of college football. From recruiting and transfer decisions to NIL deficiencies, and the craziest part is the Buckeyes have a playoff game in less than two weeks. Chaos might be an understatement, but looking back at this week, the Buckeyes are far from dead.

This week started off hot — not in the way a fan would want, but hot nonetheless. Rumors began swirling that Ohio State was far behind in the NIL landscape. The fact of the matter is these rumors were substantiated this week. The significance of NIL money might be overblown, but there is real substance to wonder why Ohio State is so far behind.

The man, the myth, the legend Cardale Jones did his best to rid fans of the misnomers surrounding the NIL collective business, and his partner with The Foundation, Brian Schottenstein, announced that there will be a monthly payment option. Many NIL collectives across the country have already had this going, which shouldn’t raise any confidence that the Buckeyes will now start dominating in the NIL landscape.


Columbus is a big city. There are a lot of places to spend and donate money. Hospitals, schools, education buildings, and other places rich donors plan to give their money away to. The recurring donations should help, but the more worrying sign to me is the fact Ohio State Athletics has needed to send out an email from Athletic Director Gene Smith, and Ryan Day has mixed feelings about the dynamic NIL has across the country.

Both men think there’s a great opportunity though with Day saying, “The great news is we’re positioned really, really well in Columbus and with our fan base to do just that. And our team has done very, very well here on campus and over the last year, they’ve done great.”

Now fans can put their money where their mouth is — I say that in jest – and that was just the beginning of the week.

On Tuesday, the Buckeyes ran into some somber news regarding one of their most talented players. TreVeyon Henderson announced he is out for the playoff run with a foot injury, the same foot injury that has been bothering him since the early parts of the season. Henderson’s last notable game was his short lived appearance against Maryland.

There were questions about the severity of the injury, which Henderson responded to in a now deleted tweet. A week later Ryan Day was asked about the injury situation, and stated that there would be more info coming about Henderson in the coming days. The more information was Ohio State’s star running back announcing he would be unavailable for the matchup against Georgia in the Peach Bowl.

This was not the news the Buckeyes needed, and this added fuel to an already hot fire burning in the fan base. This was Tuesday, but this was not the only significant news from Tuesday.

As the Buckeyes continued to gear up for the playoffs, the transfer portal opened up on Monday. Talk about planning from the NCAA. But there are some benefits for players entering the portal in this window. They have time to enter, announce a decision, and enroll in classes in the Spring. A lot of positives, but for fans and coaches this puts the transfer decisions.

Ohio State has announced quite a few offers throughout, but the raised senses around the fan base made it really challenging to cipher through what was fact or fiction. Now imagine hearing Treveyon Henderson has an announcement to make, the running back room is deep, and looking at the landscape of news I can understand why fans expected the worst.

But the news ended up being unrelated. Ohio State has offers out, they’re hosting their share of prospects, and we wait until this week’s crazy news cycle to find out how the buckeyes did.

This week was chaotic like a rollercoaster, the thing about rollercoaster is when they go down they usually go back up – which is why they’re fun. The Buckeyes landed a commitment from a five-star recruit. A few reasons this news was not more noteworthy, the five-star recruit was Jeremiah Smith, a receiver, and he’s in the 2024 class.

This is still exciting news, and there is by no means any reason to not be excited about it. Not everything in the recent news would give anyone reason to not be excited about the 2024 class. Smith is awesome and I’m excited to see what he brings to Columbus, but Hartline landing a five star is not as newsworthy as it once was.

What is newsworthy though is the potential scenario of Ohio State going 0-for-3 on blue chip edge prospects to close out the class. As of writing this article, Matayo Uiageleilei recently gained a USC prediction on On3, Damon Wilson has become a Georgia lean and Keon Keeley committed to Alabama. Recruiting has always been a marathon, not a sprint, but the final stretch has been rough in 2023, highlighted by news this week.

And now to the biggest news of yesterweek. Dylan Raiola – No. 1 overall player and quarterback in the 2024 class - decommitted from Ohio State. A significant reason in why many believed Smith committed. Then Raiola didn’t tweet about Smith’s commitment like he had every other 2024 commitment up to this point.

Once again the rumor mill began swirling. Raiola is closely linked to Nebraska now. There are family connections, his father played there and his uncle is a coach on Nebraska’s staff. Two other rumors include Raiola not appreciating the Buckeyes taking a 2023 commit — which also happened last week — at quarterback, and the other gossip is about a significant NIL deal.

Throwing in some opinion here, if either of those rumors are true, is Raiola the quarterback you want at Ohio State? The two on the roster in Kyle McCord and Devin Brown went headstrong into rooms with multiple top-50 quarterbacks. The 2023 commit, I forgot to mention in Lincoln Kienholz, flipped from a surefire opportunity to light up the world in Kalen DeBoer’s quarterback friendly offense up in Washington.

Instead he chose to step into a fiery competition knowing that there was also an all-world recruit already committed in the class of 2024. Talk about having dog in him. That is the type of player Ohio State fans have talked about missing in recent years. The 2023 class might not close as strong as fans might have hoped, but the transfer portal has the potential to fix that. But we already talked about that.

Going back again, Ohio State fans couldn’t even catch their breath by enjoying a nice, early set of December college basketball games. Earlier in the week, Tanner Holden saved Ohio State from shame at home by hitting a deep three to send Rutgers back to Piscataway sad.

An incredible shot that was, and here it is to enjoy:


The Basket-Bucks weren’t done with the week yet. They had a noteworthy game on Saturday at the Mecca, Madison Square Garden. Ohio State’s trip to New York CIty started off well against the North Carolina Tar Heels; They went into halftime with a lead. A championship level team was here for the Buckeyes, until they had to close out a game.

The Buckeyes blew a lead late allowing the Tar Heels to send the game to overtime, and then went on to lose the game to UNC.

Finally, Ohio State fans, I have seen the new internet rumor. No, I don’t think Marvin Harrison Jr. is interested in transferring to USC. With that being said, it is time to take a collective breath here before we start this week.

Being a college sports fan is not easy, and it is an everyday job on top of all the responsibilities you take on in your life. This week really challenged the reasonable approach, and as always the next week will bring it’s fair share of crazy.

That being said, Ohio State is far from dead, and there is plenty to be excited about.

The Buckeyes have six All-Americans voted on by various outlets. Marvin Harrison Jr. is Ohio State’s first unanimous All-American at receiver, and he joins an exclusive club including 36 other Buckeyes. Paris Johnson Jr. was a consensus All-American, and this is a milestone that is hopefully just a prelude to the his final legacy for the Buckeyes. Four others joined them with C.J. Stroud, Tommy Eichenberg, Dawand Jones, and Ronnie Hickman all being named All-Americans.

The other news keeps you busy. The games are really what being a fan is all about. Ohio State is in the College Football Playoff. They’re taking on Georgia in less than two weeks and the world has ruled the Buckeyes out. This is the time to rise, and remember the fact that Ohio State should never be counted out of anything.

Ohio State still has a top-7 recruiting class, they’re playing for a championship, and people are beginning to rally behind a cause. The Buckeyes are alive, and winning in two weeks will reinvigorate an entire nation of people.

I can’t even begin to predict how these next two weeks will go, but man it’s crazy being a fan of a college football team right now. With all the news, the rumors and all the stories out there, sometimes the joy can get lost in the mess.

That being said, there is still a lot to look forward to in the wild world of college football, especially as an Ohio State fan.

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You’re Nuts: Raiola’s gone and the sky is falling
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Five-star 2024 QB Dylan Raiola | Blair Angulo, 247Sports

Where is our concern level after the latest Ohio State de-commitment?

Everybody knows that one of the best parts of being a sports fan is debating and dissecting the most (and least) important questions in the sporting world with your friends. So, we’re bringing that to the pages of LGHL with our favorite head-to-head column: You’re Nuts.

In You’re Nuts, two LGHL staff members will take differing sides of one question and argue their opinions passionately. Then, in the end, it’s up to you to determine who’s right and who’s nuts.

This week’s topic: Level of concern after Dylan Raiola’s de-commitment.

Josh’s Take


This past weekend, Ohio State lost the commitment of highly coveted 2024 quarterback, Dylan Raiola. The Arizona high schooler had been committed to OSU since May, but will now (further) explore all of his options. Raiola has quickly been linked to Nebraska, where his father played — and also where his uncle was the only assistant retained by new Huskers’ head coach Matt Ruhle.

But his future destination is neither here nor there, as Buckeye fans are only concerned with the impending collapse of a once great and powerful empire.

Fans and certain media types had a mini-meltdown upon hearing the Raiola news, forcing Gene and I to immediately jump on Reddit and/or completely reasonable message boards to assess the damage. And boy, are there some takes out there in the atmosphere. One Reddit user accused Ryan Day of intentionally letting Raiola walk because he (Day) is a covert TTUN mole, while another message board user said that losing the 2024 talent is a good thing, because he is actually a 29-year-old insurance salesman merely parading as a high school football player.

With debate and conspiracy afoot, my co-host and I felt obligated to weigh in with our respective, current level(s) of concern.

If we are using a numerical scale here, my overall level of concern – focusing solely on the Raiola/2024 piece – is one (1). And that is only because Railoa appears to be a heck of a football player. Otherwise, you could mark me down for a big, fat zero. Allow me to present my case...

Throw out your (any rational Ohio State fan) feelings about the general health and wellbeing of the team/program – which is about to play in another CFP, BTW – and ask yourself this: What is the one thing you absolutely trust Ryan Day to accomplish? With your life on the line, what is the one thing you would ask him to do, to save your scarlet and gray soul? Sort of a trick question here, because the correct answer is actually two-fold.

And here it is: You (again speaking to rational fans) would trust Day to both identify and develop a high-end QB. If you believed in him for no other reason, you at least have to believe in his ability to produce the next Dwayne Haskins, Justin Fields, or C.J. Stroud. The track record exists, and it is beyond reproach. So why are we collectively freaking out over the lost commitment of a kid who would not start in Columbus until 2025 at the earliest!?

Beyond the trust I have in Day’s ability as a QB whisperer, I would also point out that OSU has time on its side. Like, a lot of it. Because we are still days away from members of the 2023 recruiting class even having the ability to make their early commitments official — emphasis on 2-0-2-THREE. Not the 2024 class, to which Raiola belongs.

By decommitting now, he actually did the Ohio State staff a huge favor. Day, Dennis, and Co. can go back to the drawing board and take an entire year, if needed, to identify and sign their next Heisman candidate QB. And if the whole process take a while? So be it. Because remember: Haskins was a late flip and C.J. Stroud did not even received an offer (from OSU) until three months before he enrolled!

Lastly, Gene, I must bring up the transfer portal. In today’s world of college football, every single player is seemingly available at any time. Quarterbacks have been especially willing to take advantage of this newfound free agency system, and we have seen it work out for the Buckeye as recently as 2019 — albeit under unique circumstances.

There is no doubt in my mind, that if Ohio State is unable to find their desired prospect in an upcoming class, they will just look within the NCAA ranks. Snatching transfers is the new roster construction, and I believe that OSU coaches will be active when they see both a need and a potential fit. There will always be a proven QB looking for better coaching, a better situation, and/or better weapons, and all of those things are consistently offered in Columbus.

At the end of the day, there is no way to frame Raiola’s loss as a net positive. He is the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2024 class. But we don’t know what the future holds. Maybe he has a change of heart. Maybe he turns out to be a bust (not wishing for it). Or maybe – just maybe – Ohio State finds another QB elsewhere, and turns them into an absolute stud... Ryan Day has only shown us his ability to do so over and over again, so why doubt the process now?

Gene’s Take


While it isn’t the end of the world, I don't want to sugar coat it — losing Dylan Raiola is bad. I’ve seen a lot of talking on social media that sounds a lot like someone rationalizing their ex after a breakup. A bunch of ‘Well, he isn’t THAT good anyway’ or ‘Ohio State will wind up with somebody better’ going on online. I’m here to say that while the Buckeyes will likely land on their feet and wind up in a new relationship with someone who loves them very much, Raiola was a catch, and could be the one that got away down the line.

As far as recruiting rankings go, there is no quarterback better in the 2024 class than Raiola. Not only is he the No. 1 QB in the cycle, but he is the No. 1 recruit overall regardless of position. It seemed almost too good to be true for Ohio State to have the top quarterback in the class committed to go along with the latest commitment of Jeremiah Smith — the No. 1 wide receiver and No. 2 overall player in 2024 — and as it turns out, it was too good to be true.

The reasons for Raiola’s de-commitment aren’t entirely clear, but most of it seems simply out of the Buckeyes’ control. Far be it from me to defend Ryan Day in any matter, as I would pack his bags for him if Mike Vrabel came calling, but my podcast co-host does have a point. Quarterback recruiting and development is far and away what Day does best. If that, mixed with playing at one of college football’s premier destinations with one of the biggest brands on the biggest stage wasn’t good enough, then I'm not sure what Day and his staff could have done to convince him to stay. If family ties at Nebraska and/or NIL were the reason for his departure, Ohio State is shit out of luck.

As far as my concern level goes, I would say I’m at about a four. Most of my concern stems not from Raiola’s de-commitment specifically, but the way things have been trending for this Ohio State staff as a whole, especially in the 2023 recruiting cycle.

We know the shortcomings on the field in recent years, but the recruiting from this staff for everyone not named Brian Hartline has seemingly dipped. Larry Johnson is a legend of the game, but Ohio State is about to whiff on all three five-star edge rushers they seemingly had a good shot with. Tony Alford has landed one premier running back since J.K. Dobbins in 2016, and the Buckeyes are without a RB commitment in 2023. Cornerback recruiting has been a whirlwind as programs try to poach OSU’s top commits before signing day. As things stand, Ohio State has the No. 7 class in the country, and it doesn’t look like its going to get much better before signing day. ‘

Obviously Raiola is a 2024 guy and is unrelated to this cycle, but it is a concerning trend nonetheless. In my opinion, it is time to purge the last of the Urban Meyer holdovers from the program if they aren’t getting the job done anymore. This is probably a topic for another day, as Day is the one mainly in charge of recruiting the quarterbacks and this doesn’t apply to him, but this is more at play for my concern level of Ohio State recruiting than anything else. Raiola’s de-commitment is bad, I just think there are other issues at play that feel more pressing at the moment.

The Buckeyes will find another QB in 2024 and be fine, but there is a lot at stake this offseason in Columbus, and I'm not sure I trust a handful of the current guys in charge to figure it out.

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Column: What is going to happen with Justin Fields’ career?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

Getting drafted by the Bears really wasn’t ideal.

Each week, Justin Fields continues to show why he is a great quarterback in this league. Whether it be an amazing 60-yard run or him escaping tackle after tackle, he reminds us of his talent. However, with the team that he is surrounded with, how much longer can he perform at this level?

Getting drafted by the Chicago Bears was certainly unfortunate for Fields. He came off of two phenomenal seasons at Ohio State, yet three other QBs were taken ahead of him. Trevor Lawrence, who, based off what we all saw in college, was the obvious No. 1 choice. Zach Wilson. Don’t even get me started — as a Jets fan, I would take Fields 10 times out of 10 ahead of Wilson. Trey Lance remains to be seen, but Fields has proven his talent.

So, unfortunately, Fields dropped down to No. 11 to Chicago. After a rough rookie season under Matt Nagy, many thought that this would be Fields’ breakout year. New GM, new head coach, new receivers and some offensive line additions sounded like a recipe for success.

However, this season hasn’t exactly equaled that.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Fields is the third-most sacked QB in the league, being taken down 40 times. He’s thrown 13 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Receiver Darnell Mooney is out for the season, and Chase Claypool and N’Keal Harry were both inactive Sunday. Right guard Tevin Jenkins was injured during the game as well. So, Fields’ main targets and some of his protection are unavailable.

Therefore, a lot of the load falls on his shoulders. He has to take it upon himself to give this team a chance to win. That means he has to run — a lot. He became just the third quarterback to rush for 1,000 yards in a single season Sunday. So, he’s on the move a lot and he gets hit a lot. What can that mean for his long-term durability?

If he keeps going at the rate he is going, with the little protection he has, I fear that he won’t be able to play for a long time in this league. Just like running backs are only solid for five to seven years, Fields may be on that pace as well if his body keeps taking hits like it is now.

Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images

However, let’s say the Bears do improve in the next two years and he gets some help on offense. I’m sure Chicago will want to extend him for a fifth season, too. So, after three years, Fields has the option to go somewhere else.

Obviously, it’s too soon to predict what will happen following this season. But, I am saying it’s possible that his team could screw him over as a result of the lack of help he has. His body could also get worn down if he keeps rushing at this amount and taking so many hits. If Chicago doesn’t ruin him, he could get out and go to a better team.

Fields is one of the best Ohio State quarterbacks who has the potential to be successful in the NFL in decades. Let’s hope he isn’t failed by factors he cannot control.

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Why is this News? All the articles and tweets Buckeye fans need for December 19, 2022
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

All the Buckeye news thats fit to re-print.

Look, we get it. Your days are busy and you don’t have time to read all of the stories and tweets from the three dozen websites dedicated to covering Ohio State athletics, or the 237 Buckeye beat writers churning out hot takes and #content on a daily basis. But that’s ok, that’s what your friends at Land-Grant Holy Land are here for.

Monday through Friday, we’ll be collecting all of the articles, tweets, features, interviews, videos, podcasts, memes, photos, and whatever else we stumble across on the interwebz and putting them in our daily “Why is this News?” article. That way, you’ll have a one-stop shop for all of the most important Buckeye news, jokes, and analysis.

You’re welcome!

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On the Gridiron


Seven From Football Program Graduate Sunday
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Bennett Christian officially became a Buckeye over the weekend!


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Jami and Meredith Get Into All Sorts of Fun Topics on a Special Farewell Episode:


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Student-Athletes to Receive Degrees at Autumn Commencement
Ohio State Athletics

Women’s Hockey: Buckeye Sweep Cornell with 4-0 Shutout Victory
Ohio State Athletics

Men’s Hockey: No. 14 Buckeyes Finish Sweep with 9-4 Win over BGSU
Ohio State Athletics

And now for something completely different...


Come on, you knew I was going to go with this today!


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We’ll talk about this later: An ode to bowl sponsorships
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Your dose of lighthearted takes from this week’s happenings.

Each week, we’ll break down something that happened during the Ohio State game (and occasionally other games and events) that we’ll be talking about for a while—you know, the silly sideline interactions, the awful announcing and the weird storylines that stick with us for years to come. We’ll also compare each of these happenings to memorable moments in pop culture, because who doesn’t love a good Office reference?

There’s a lot to love about this week in sports: the finals of the World Cup, Justin Tucker missing two field goals so the Cleveland Browns could finally beat the Baltimore Ravens, the start of the college football bowl season.


The downside is that (if we can call it a downside), at the start of the bowl season, there’s a lot of eyebrow-raising bowl names featuring teams you probably know nothing about this season. Sponsorships rotate, of course, but it’s hard to keep up with who’s effectively financing the Fenway Bowl year in and year out (this year, it’s cloud storage company Wasabi. More on that below). It brings just enough of a level of absurdity to keep things interesting for the first quarter.


Not everyone can be as classy as the Rose Bowl, which is so iconic that sponsors come after the name of the game (no matter how much they pay!). A few of my favorite names from this year have been:

• Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl Presented by Stifel: Fresno State beat Washington State Saturday in a blowout, but I’m still confused if Jimmy Kimmel is sponsoring this game, if this game is named in honor of Jimmy Kimmel or if Stifel (a wealth management/investment banking firm) just really likes Jimmy Kimmel.
• Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: There’s actually no sarcasm here: I love this bowl. The first thing I think of when someone mentions Idaho is “potato” so this feels like a sponsorship match made in heaven. Further, the second thing I think of is “Boise State football/Smurf turf.” *chef’s kiss.”
• Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl: Not Frosted Flakes. Not Kellogg’s. Just Tony the Tiger in all his orange and black striped glory. It’s grrrreeat.

It’s also interesting how many business-to-business companies (like Wasabi) are sponsoring bowl games. None of us are purchasing an aircraft, Lockheed Martin, but by all means, sponsoring the Armed Forces Bowl makes perfect sense.


Bowl season also brings us back to some of the more head scratching sponsors. Remember the Battlefrog Fiesta Bowl? Tostitos sponsored the Buckeyes’ favorite desert postseason matchup for nearly two decades before, in a confusing twist, a nearly unknown outdoor fitness company jumped in with a single season sponsorship in 2016.


Having previously managed events and sponsorships, I can only imagine what this one year stunt cost Battlefrog. Sure, it did the company a lot of good in raising awareness, but it was a bizarre interloper between the legacy tortilla chips we know and love and PlayStation, which sponsored the game for seven years after that. Coincidentally, Battlefrog closed its doors in August 2016.

Perhaps the sponsorship was not the right move, after all.

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I-70 Football Podcast: RIP Mike Leach, non-CFP Bowl previews
JordanW330 via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Matthew OHaren-USA TODAY Sports

In this episode, we reflect on Mike Leach’s legacy and preview the non-playoff bowl games featuring Big Ten teams.

Welcome to a new episode of Land-Grant Holy Land’s I-70 Football Podcast. On this show, we talk about all things Big Ten football and basketball. After every week of action, we will get you caught up on all the conference’s games and look ahead at the matchups, storylines, and players that you should be paying attention to in the next week. My name is Jordan Williams, and I am joined by my co-host Dante Morgan.

Listen to the episode and subscribe:


Subscribe: RSS | Apple | Spotify | Stitcher | Google Podcasts | iHeart Radio

Welcome back to another episode of the I-70 Football Podcast. In this episode, Jordan and Dante take a moment to reflect on Mike Leach’s passing and the legacy he left in college football. Leach was one of the founding fathers of the air raid offense that changed the game forever. He has a coaching tree that will rival anyone in the sport, spanning multiple levels of the sport. We’re sending thoughts and prayers to his family, friends, and players.

In their not-so-quick quick-hitters, the guys explain their thoughts on NIL and if it is ruining college football. Jordan thinks fans are driving themselves crazy by contributing every occurrence to NIL. Players commit, decommit, and transfer all the time, including before NIL funds were available. Obviously, some decisions are made based on NIL, but not as much as people think. Dante thinks people shouldn’t be worried about what players are making or if NIL is the reason behind the player movement. No one questions when coaches leave for more money, so why question the players?

The Big Ten has nine teams playing in bowl games, and the guys take a look at the non-playoff matchups. Utah vs. Penn State in the Rose Bowl is easily the best of the group, and one of the best matchups in general. Penn State hasn’t been to the Rose Bowl since 2016 and would love nothing more than to beat Utah, while the Utes hope to win their first Rose Bowl in program history after losing to Ohio State last year. Dante is intrigued by the LSU vs. Purdue matchup, while Jordan is paying close attention to the two matchups between the Big Ten and ACC.

In their weekly pitstops, Dante wishes his brother a Happy 18th Birthday. Jordan celebrates the release of Ab-Soul’s new album after a six-year hiatus. In the build-up to the album release, Ab-Soul discusses his suicide attempt and recovery. We know the holidays can be tough for people. Please reach out to your friends and family, you never know what that can mean for someone. If you are having suicidal ideations please call the National Suicide Hotline by dialing 988 or connect with someone you love.

Happy Holidays from us to you!


Connect with us on Twitter:

Jordan: @JordanW330

Dante: @DanteM10216

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Ire at Ryan Day over Dylan Raiola’s de-commitment is misplaced
Michael Citro via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Brooke LaValley/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

There’s likely nothing Ohio State’s head coach could do about the whims and wishes of a teenage quarterback.

Nothing makes college football fans lose their minds like the whims of teenagers. And so it was this week, when five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola de-committed from Ohio State, denying the Buckeyes of the top 2024 prospect in the nation. People all over message boards and social media went bananas.

This wasn’t unexpected. Every time a player decommits from a program, that school’s fans play the role of scorned lover and many take their frustrations out in the most inappropriate ways. Some direct their venom directly at the recruit — which should never happen.

But others act like it’s some kind of shortcoming by the head coach. The #FireDay crowd’s voice got louder this week because a high school kid changed his mind about leaving Arizona to play college football in Ohio. The same head coach who was at the helm for his May commitment was suddenly the problem.

I shouldn’t have to explain that this is a complicated time for college football recruiting. We don’t know all the backdoor promises and deals that are going on in regard to name, image, and likeness (NIL) behind the scenes. It might not be a coincidence that it’s been a hot topic in OSU circles since before Raiola decommitted and Gene Smith, Day, and the OSU coaching staff may have suspected this was in the works.

But it’s fair to say that whatever happened with Raiola likely had little to do with Day at all. Every college coach faces decommitments and transfers. It’s a common part of the business.

Raiola’s uncle is Nebraska’s offensive line coach, and Matt Ruhle has created a buzz around that program since being named head coach, which is hardly Day’s fault either.

I saw one post on Twitter blaming Day for 2023 quarterback Lincoln Kienholz committing to Ohio State, as if that somehow scared Raiola off. These top prospects rarely lack the confidence of believing they will win the job wherever they go, and fans probably shouldn’t want any that don’t have it.

There was a lot of angst about Quinn Ewers transferring to Texas, but it’s not hard to imagine that whoever takes snaps for Ohio State will put up better numbers than Ewers during his career. Similarly, Raiola at Nebraska or wherever else may have an excellent football career, but I doubt the Buckeyes will be hurting at the position with Justin Fields emerging as an NFL stud (even without an offensive line) and C.J. Stroud about to go in the first round of the next draft.

As long as Day is here, the quarterback play should remain at a high level, especially given the talent at wide receiver that the Buckeyes are attracting to Columbus. In fact, the No. 2 player in the 2024 class, Jeremiah Smith, committed to Ohio State before Raiola decommitted.

I’m not going to be concerned about the starting quarterback until one of them shows me I should be.

Look, there might be some valid reasons to hold the opinion that Ryan Day shouldn’t be Ohio State’s head coach, although we’ll certainly have more data about that in a couple of weeks. But it seems silly to call for his job over a high school kid decommitting.

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LGHL Uncut Podcast: McGuff, McMahon and Greene on final home non-conference win
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Buckeyes helped UAlbany make things interesting on Friday, hear what the coach and two key performers had to say about it

Throughout the year, Land-Grant Holy Land will be bringing you uncut audio primarily from Ohio State press conferences, but also from individual interview sessions.


The Ohio State Buckeyes women’s basketball team looked like they had a good night considering the 82-57 scoreline, but it was closer than it appears. Head coach Kevin McGuff and the Buckeyes struggled in the first half, allowing a rare visitor lead against a smaller non-conference opponent.

After the game, McGuff, forward Cotie McMahon and guard Madison Greene dissect that first half and what changed to propel Ohio State in the second.

Up first is McGuff. He discusses the unique half court challenge created by UAlbany’s Princeton offense, who he calls “the most exciting 10 seconds in women’s basketball,” among other areas of the win.

McMahon talks about what changed for her Friday, after a career high 24 points against the Great Danes. Also, looking at the defensive performance of Ohio State overall and how she feels now after taking a big fall late in the game, on defense.

Last up is Greene. The guard who hit a season high with six steals talked about changing her offensive focus in the second half, listening to teammate’s feedback and adjusting defensively after an upset coach McGuff prepared the Buckeyes in the halftime locker room.

That and more in the latest LGHL Uncut, the last edition before Ohio State travels west, to San Diego, California for the San Diego Invitational.


Connect with Thomas:

Twitter: @1ThomasCostello

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Ohio State fans share what worries them most about UGA, which Buckeyes need to step up most
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

You ask, we answer. Sometimes we ask, others answer. And then other times, we ask, we answer.

We are just over a week away from Christmas, and while that’s all well and good, and people are rightfully excited by that blah, blah, blah, the day that all of us here in Buckeye Nation are looking forward to is now two weeks away. On Dec. 31, the No. 4 Ohio State Buckeyes will take on the No. 1 Georgia in the Peach Bowl, the second of two College Football Playoff semifinal matchups on the last day of the year.


So, now that we have turned the page to looking at the semifinals, earlier this week, we wanted to check in on Ohio State fans to see where their collective head was in terms of how they were feeling — and what they were thinking — about the CFP.

Question 1: What worries you most about Ohio State facing Georgia in the Peach Bowl?



To me, this is the right answer. Given Ohio State’s struggles defensively, especially against teams capable of running the ball, the Buckeye offense is going to need to step up and be able to match UGA touchdown for touchdown, and the only way to do that is if C.J. Stroud is able to get off clean passes to his stable of receivers.

We have seen that Stroud has been fairly adept this season at escaping pressure and moving the pocket, but he has struggled when he has had rushers in his face, often defaultign to throwing off of his back foot. Of course, this is also partially the same as the third most popular pick for this question. No matter what Todd McShay thinks about his character, Jalen Carter is an absolute beast, and the OSU offensive line will need to figure out a way to keep him at bay on NYE.

Question 2: How much has the CFP berth helped you get over the Michigan loss?



I am firmly on as saying that unless you are being an unmitigated asshole, I am never going to tell somebody how to be a fan. But, for me personally, I think this is the closest to where I am as well; I’m not “over it,” by any means, but it has certainly given me something else to focus on and think about. On Nov. 27, I did not anticipate being excited about an Ohio State college football game this soon, but the possibility of having a more healthy Buckeye squad with a chance to win a national title will certainly do wonders for the old morale.

Question 3: Who needs to step up most for Ohio State to pull off the semifinal upset?



This is absolutely the correct answer, as far as I’m concerned. I think that both Dallan Hayden and Chip Trayanum have done admirable jobs in relief when Miyan Williams and TreVeyon Henderson have been hurt this season, but Miyan is a legit difference-maker and finally having him back to something approaching full strength should have a major impact on the Buckeye offense.

With the threat of Williams out of the backfield, Georgia’s defense won’t be able to drop seven into coverage on every down to gum up the passing lanes. We know that Chop is capable of breaking tackles, so the Bulldogs will have to keep a couple of linebackers in the box in order to make sure that the OSU RB doesn’t just rack up seven-yard run after seven-yard run after seven-yard run.

Check out DraftKings Sportsbook, the official sportsbook partner of SB Nation.

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Giveaway: Win a set of coasters featuring four of the greatest plays in Ohio State history
Matt Tamanini via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here



Our friends at Playbook Products are giving a way a set of coasts that any Buckeye fan needs to have.

Christmas is just over a week away, and if you are struggling to come up with a perfect gift for the Ohio State fan in your life our friends from Playbook Products have the perfect thing. Relive four of the greatest moments in Ohio State football history with four iconic plays laser-etched into quarter-pound stone coasters.

The package includes plays from victories over USC, Miami, and (of course) Michigan and is sure to bring a smile to your face every time you put your beverage of choice down on the table — both because of the great memories that the plays bring back and because you will know that you won’t be leaving any ring stains on your table.

Playbook Products and Land-Grant Holy Land are teaming up to give away a set of coasters to one special Buckeye fan. Check out the details below, and prepare to get your set of four coasters, which normally cost $40.

However, if you don’t want to take the risk of having to wait and see if you win the coasters, you can also purchase these Ohio State Historic Play coasters using promo code LGHL to get 20% off.

The Rules


- You must be following both @PlaybookProduct and @LandGrant33.

- Tweet both Playbook and LGHL your favorite Ohio State play not represented on one of the coasters (see below for those details) and not “85 Yards Through the Heart of the South.” Tell us what the play is and why it is your favorite.

- Deadline to enter is Friday, Dec. 23 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The winner will be notified by DM on Saturday, Dec. 24, so make sure that you can receive direct messages.

Use Promo Code LGHL to Get 20% Off Your Purchase Today


2006 Big Ten Regular Season | Game of the Century


Ohio State 42, Michigan 39 | Nov. 18, 2006

In the game dubbed the “Game of the Century,” Michigan jumped out to an early lead in the first quarter, but Ohio State soon answered them to tie the game. At the top of the second, Chris Wells broke free for a 52-yard touchdown run that gave Ohio State the lead and they never trailed again.

1974 Rose Bowl | 47 yards seals it


Ohio State 42, USC 21 | Jan. 1, 1974

Ohio State already looked to be cruising to a Rose Bowl win in 1974 when they took over on downs halfway through the fourth. Two plays late,r Archie Griffin got the handoff from Cornelius Greene and ran 47 yards for the touchdown, proving why he is one of the best players in Ohio State history.

2003 National Championship | First to 14 wins


Ohio State 31, Miami 24 | Jan. 3, 2003

In one of the best national championship games ever played, Ohio State took on Miami for the title in 2003. It took two overtimes to decide the game and in double OT, Ohio State grabbed the lead with a touchdown by Maurice Clarett and then held Miami on 4th and 1 to win their first national title since the 1968-69 season.

1969 Rose Bowl | Battle of the Unbeatens


Ohio State 27, USC 16 | Jan. 1, 1969

Unbeaten Ohio State won its fifth national championship against unbeaten USC. After a fumble recovery on the 16-yard line in the fourth quarter, Ohio State got their third touchdown on a pass from Rex Kern to Ray Gillian. The score gave the Buckeyes a commanding lead and the Super Sophs claimed the title.

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Game Notes: No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball’s second half vs. UAlbany
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

More from the Buckeyes’ defense and “the most exciting 10 seconds in college basketball”

The Ohio State Buckeyes faced the UAlbany Great Danes on Friday, on princess night inside the Schottenstein Center. What the Scarlet & Gray found out was that the Danes were a royal pain for much of the game, but Ohio State continued their ascent towards the throne of college basketball’s elite.

Here’s what stood out.

Half Court Defense


It’s not the most exciting way to kick off game notes, but a key to Ohio State’s success this season is a strong pressing attack. On Wednesday, head coach Kevin McGuff discussed at length the other part of their defense — the half court.

Full court press requires players, especially guards, to turn the intensity up another level and frustrate and confuse opponents. Once that press is broken though, the half court enters the conversation.

UAlbany provided a test for the Buckeyes on Friday, playing the Princeton offense, which means a lot of off the ball movement, screens and a system built to confuse defenses and create isolation. It also creates mismatches. Defenses need to be on their toes, watching their player or zone and following the movement closely. For much of the night, Ohio State played it well, except the second quarter.

“For us in the first half, we kinda broke down towards the end of the shot clock,” said guard Madison Greene. “We didn’t really play hard for the 30 seconds and we would let them get offensive rebounds. He (McGuff) got kind of mad at us, that we weren’t executing it right.”

That second quarter had the Danes scoring 19 points, their high for a quarter on the night. Pair that with Ohio State’s worst quarter, scoring 13, and there’s no shock that the Buckeyes fell behind against the visitors.

To UAlbany’s credit, they’re no slouch in the America East conference. Projected to top the conference, and add to their 2021-22 season that saw the Danes earn a spot in the 2022 NCAA Tournament, but it goes back to the Buckeyes’ energy. When all five players on the court want to win, they’re hard to stop. When they underestimate an opponent, you get Friday’s second quarter.

I just said at halftime, ‘they’re more committed to running good offense than we are committed to stopping them,’” said McGuff. “‘And until that changes, the game’s not going to go the way we want.’”

The Great Danes shot their most shots in the second quarter (15), hit their highest field goal percentage (53.5%) and Ohio State forced their fewest turnovers of any quarter (2). In the second half, Ohio State limited shots to 25 and forced 12 turnovers. When defensive commitment was there, the Buckeyes started pulling away.

“The Most Exciting 10 Seconds in Basketball”


There were four different storylines surrounding the offense on Friday, and the biggest was freshman forward Cotie McMahon’s 24-point evening.

“You know, the Kentucky Derby they have ‘the most exciting two minutes in sports,’” said MccGuff. “Well we have the most exciting 10 seconds in women’s basketball.”


That’s in reference to McMahon, who not only charged down the court, like she has all season in layup attempts, but added more on Friday.

“When I first got here and first started playing I would just attack and just go go,” said McMahon. “I feel like I’ve been more patient with that to one — have the ability to score off that or two — be able to look and kick. I feel like tonight I really enforced that with my game and really showed it on the floor.”

McMahon’s brought intensity to defense all year, but there’s been a marked change for the forward on offense in the past two weeks. In the first seven games of the season, McMahon averaged 8.1 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1 assist per game. In the last four games, McMahon’s scored 14.2 points, grabbed 6.3 rebounds and dished 3.8 assists per game.

In that stretch, it seems like the start of every half includes McMahon controlling the game for the first minute. Now, the Buckeyes are hoping the team around McMahon can keep that intensity during the good and bad shooting nights.

Madison Greene Calms OSU with Aggressive Play


Another key piece of Ohio State pulling away in the second half was the third quarter play of guard Madison Greene. Starting her sixth game in place of the injured Jacy Sheldon, Greene scored 11 points on the night, and seven came in the third.

“My teammates really wanted me to attack more and find my own ways to score,” said Greene about halftime adjustments. “I was trying to get them open and I wasn’t really being aggressive myself, so I tried to do that.”

Greene made passes to find open teammates in the first half, but the shots weren’t falling, especially in the second quarter where the Buckeyes shot 38.5%. In the third quarter, Greene hit only two shots in the run of play but one was a three and Greene got to the free throw line.

The Pickerington, Ohio guard was perfect in shooting for the quarter and missing only one shot in fourth quarter.

That aggressive play wasn’t only offensive. With her lowest assist number of the season on Friday (1), she thrived in another area where she was in full control — steals. Greene grabbed a season high six on the way to a Buckeyes night with 25 points off turnovers.

Team Offense Fills Gaps


Wednesday, McMahon shared moments that showed her what the team chemistry is all about at Ohio State. Part of those moments was a game against Rutgers University where guard Taylor Mikesell and forward Rebeka Mikulášiková scored 61 of the Buckeyes 82 points, lifting the team to victory. On Friday, it was the opposite way around.

Mikesell and Mikulášiková entered halftime with three points total, a Mikesell three in the second quarter. Combined the two shot 1-for-11 in the first 20 minutes of the game, with nine missed threes between the two.

“T. Mike and Rebeka have been great this year, especially on offense,” said Coach McGuff. “They’re a huge part of what we do and that was the other thing, with them not making some shots that they normally make, it allowed Albany to hang around there in the first half.”

Ohio State can almost take solace though in winning a game without their two top scorers running the show. McMahon’s 24 points and nine total Buckeyes getting on the stat sheet overcame a 17-point night for Mikesell and Mikulášiková.

Overall, Mikesell had a stronger second half, scoring 13 points. Mikesell hit both threes she attempted in the half and went 4-for-6 in the third and fourth quarters combined. Mikulášiková’s four points all came early in the third quarter, part of Ohio State swinging the momentum in their favor.

Jacy Sheldon Injury Watch


This week, McGuff downgraded Sheldon from day-to-day to week-to-week with a lower leg injury. Friday, Sheldon still had on the same boot, but instead of walking with the boot like in week’s past, the guard was on crutches, not adding any weight to her right leg.

Barring a huge turnaround, it’s not a good sign that Sheldon will be available for next week’s San Diego Invitational, potentially missing games against the USF Bulls and possibly a match-up against No. 16 Oregon Ducks in the second game.

Highlight Reel Team Work


Having a relatively quieter night was forward Taylor Thierry. The Cleveland, Ohio forward scored eight points and grabbed four rebounds, still a good game for the sophomore but under her breakout season averages.

However, Thierry was part of a play that showed the athleticism referenced by coach McGuff.


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Document discovered: Ryan Day’s letter to Santa
David M Wheeler via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK

What does the Buckeye head coach want for Christmas?

Dear Santa,

Thanks for the gifts last year!


My mom always told me to appreciate every gift that I get and never to complain that I didn’t get what I wanted. So, I’m not complaining. But this time I wanted to put my wishes in writing because last year I think that there were a couple of misunderstandings. Again, though, I’m not complaining.

Remember last year when I sat on your lap and whispered to you what I wanted? I was the older, bigger guy, wearing an Ohio State ball cap and a black Ohio State jacket. There were only two things that I wanted – one for me and one for the football team that I coach. While I’m not complaining about last year, you did get them both wrong. We’re all human. Well, I guess that you’re human.

After we lost the last regular season game, I wanted to drown my sorrows and asked for some first-rate, dark beer. Maybe you didn’t hear me because I whispered and there was a lot of noise at the mall with the little kids screaming, crying. Don’t get me wrong. I like the beard. Everybody says that it looks good, so I kept it.

As for the team, I requested that the Buckeyes become a true superpower. I take it that you thought that I wanted my own superpowers and gave me the glasses. The x-ray vision shades were very cool, to be sure, and I got a lot of use out of them. But when I saw that the coach for that other team went commando under those baggy khakis, I had had enough. I don’t know what ever happened to the glasses. I hope that some teenager didn’t pick them up. So, no complaints, but I want to make sure that we’re on the same page this year.

All I want for Christmas 2022


First of all, I know that you’re a really busy guy. So, there’s no need to rush to get me my presents before Christmas Day, or even by Christmas Day. I just need them for New Year’s Eve night. Please make sure that they arrive by 8:00 pm (Eastern), or maybe by ten after. There’s probably no chimney in that Mercedes-Benz dome place, but you’ll figure it out.

Book of disguises


One Christmas when I was a kid, maybe eight or nine, you gave me a junior detective kit. Do you remember? Anyway, it had this nifty little book, a guide to simple disguises. You know, everyday stuff around the house that can change your appearance so that no one knows who you are. That’s important. The disguise has to work. I’ve looked all around for that book, and I guess that I lost it over the years. Please, I’d like a new one.

I’ll let you in on my plan. I could really use Chase Young on New Year’s Eve, and I think that he’ll be healthy by then. That Bennett guy is pretty slippery, but nobody gets away from Chase. But you know Chase. He’s really tall and, with that hair, he’s kind of distinctive looking. If we could change his appearance and give him a real lineman’s number – something in the 90s, maybe – we could get him in the game. Not every play. I’m not greedy. Just the ones where Bennett has to pass. Really, not more than a half dozen (or 20) plays. I’m thinking that he’d make a difference.

Magic ball


We get to use our own ball on offense (when we have the ball). I want a new ball for us that always throws true and on target. One that is sticky as hell and can be caught easily but never dropped. When your elves are making this ball, they’ve got to make sure that these magical features only appear after the officials have set the ball for play.

If magic balls really are presents that you keep in your bag, please deliver one to Kirby Smart too. His ball should say “Georgia Bulldawgs.” (Make sure that you spell it that way. That’s the way that The Team Down South likes it. I don’t know why.) It should be weighted at one end so that it goes all floppy when a quarterback tries to pass. Also – it should be self-lubricating. It’s about time that we had some turnovers in our favor.

A new play, one that always works


I don’t know if you follow college football. Maybe you’re more of a pro fan or probably hockey, given where you live. If you’ve seen my Buckeyes play this year, you know that we sometimes (well, OK, often) have trouble converting on the short third-down plays. You know: third and two, third and one. Stuff like that. The running back into the middle of the line doesn’t work like it should.

What I want for Christmas (really New Year’s Eve) is something that nobody has seen before, a play that’s guaranteed to work. We need it to work whenever we call it. And it should work on fourth and short too.

While you’re at it, we could also use a sure-fire call for third and long and a few more for any two-point conversions we might need to try (especially if the game goes into OT). I don’t know if you have a set limit on how many presents everybody gets, but I’m thinking that a whole playbook is out of the question. Is it?

Imagination


People can have a “gift of imagination,” can’t they? Poets? Musicians? Anyway, I’d like that gift for myself. I’d put it to use at halftime. I could imagine what the Bulldogs are going to do, on both offense and defense, and imagine various countermeasures. I’d win the halftime adjustment battle (for a change) and win the game.

Obviously, winning the game is the objective here. That one is on my prayer list, going to a different recipient.

RSVP


The favor of a reply is always appreciated (again, my mom talking). If you could let me know that these small requests are on their way to Atlanta (that’s where I’ll be), then I could plan accordingly. And I could probably arrange to comp you and Mrs. C to some decent tickets.

Thanks very much

Your friend,
Ryan

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Play Like a Girl podcast: Heisman fashion (we’re not over it)
Meredith Hein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images

Plus, is Joe Burrow attractive or ambitious?

On LGHL’s Play Like a Girl podcast, the team talks everything from Ohio State sports to advocacy for women in sports and all the happenings in between.

Check out the podcast below, and make sure to subscribe wherever you get your podcasts:


Welcome back! This week is Meredith’s last show for a minute, so thanks to Alexis, Jami, Megan, Tia and Matt and everyone else involved in the pod!

On the show, Jami and Meredith discuss:

• Their Christmas movie list (and which movies they’re most likely to cry during, cough, “Muppets Christmas Carol”).
• The post-wisdom teeth extraction video about Joe Burrow
• Favorite Mike Leach moments
• Heisman fashion (Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud - just iconic)

Plus, Meredith apologizes to Jami for laughing at her when she said in late September that Caleb Williams would win the Heisman.


Contact Jami Jurich:
Twitter: @jamiurich

Contact Meredith Hein:
Twitter: @MeredithHein

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Ohio State men’s basketball vs. North Carolina: Game preview and prediction
Brett Ludwiczak via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

The Buckeyes travel to New York City to take on North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic today.

After hosting Rutgers last Thursday, Ohio State will hit the road for the last time in 2022, traveling to New York City to take on North Carolina in the CBS Sports Classic. This marks the eighth time the Buckeyes have played in the annual event, and the third time they have matched up with the Tar Heels in the classic.

Following a loss to Duke in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, Ohio State has won its last two games. The last time the Buckeyes were on the court, they opened up their Big Ten schedule with a thrilling 67-66 win over Rutgers. The game with the Scarlet Knights was a back-and-forth affair, with the contest being a one-possession game for the final 13 minutes.

In his first year at Ohio State after transferring from Wright State, Tanner Holden hit one of the most dramatic shots in school history, hitting a three-pointer as time expired to give the Buckeyes the win. The triple was the only basket of the game for Holden. The buzzer-beater was the first “walk-off winner” for Ohio State since Evan Turner’s three-pointer in the 2010 Big Ten Tournament against Michigan.

While Holden was massive at the end of the game, Zed Key was tremendous throughout the contest for the Buckeyes. The big man recorded a career-high with 22 points and tied a career-high with 14 rebounds. The double-double was the sixth of Key’s career, with four of them coming this season. Through nine games, Key is averaging 14.3 points per game, and 8.7 rebounds per game, with both averages leading the Buckeyes.

Ohio State was missing a couple of players against the Scarlet Knights, as Issac Likekele missed the game because he returned home to deal with a family emergency. Eugene Brown III hasn’t been able to play yet this season for the Buckeyes because of a concussion. With Likekele out of the lineup, Brice Sensabaugh started his first game of the season. The talented freshman scored 13 points against Rutgers and is second on the team with 14.1 points per game. Sensabaugh has hit half of the 36 three-pointers he has attempted this season.

Preview


Today Ohio State will make its first trip to Madison Square Garden since the 2018 Big Ten Tournament. The Buckeyes have played at “The World’s Most Famous Arena” 36 times, posting a 23-13 record. Two of those games have come against North Carolina, with the Tar Heels winning the 1946 National Semifinal game, as well as the 2009 2K Sports Classic. North Carolina is 12-3 all-time against Ohio State.

In the most recent meeting between the schools, Ohio State dominated the Tar Heels 74-49 in Chapel Hill in the 2019 ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Today’s game is the third time the schools have met in the CBS Sports Classic. North Carolina beat the Buckeyes in Chicago in the inaugural event back in 2014 and also won when the teams met again in 2017 in New Orleans.

Ohio State has won the last three games they have played in the CBS Sports Classic, and is 4-3 all-time, giving them the second-best record amongst the four teams that annually participate in the classic. The only team with a better CBS Sports Classic record than the Buckeyes is the Tar Heels. The last time Ohio State played in the event was in 2020 when they beat UCLA in Cleveland. Last year’s game against Kentucky was canceled because of COVID-19 issues. Kentucky went on to play the Tar Heels in Las Vegas, blowing out North Carolina 98-69.

Even though last year’s loss to Kentucky was disheartening for the Tar Heels and Hubert Davis, they didn’t let it define their season. Last season was Davis’ first season as head coach of his alma mater, replacing legendary coach Roy Williams. Davis and his team got better as the year went on, finding their groove in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels not only ended the coaching career of Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski in the Final Four, North Carolina nearly won a national title, falling to Kansas 72-69 in the championship game.

North Carolina had a rough stretch of games that started out in Portland in the Phil Knight Invitational. After losing their first game of the season to Iowa State in the semifinals, the Tar Heels were outlasted by Alabama 103-101 in four overtimes in the consolation game. Just a few days later, North Carolina was downed 77-65 by Indiana in Bloomington in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, and in their first game in December they lost their ACC opener at Virginia Tech.

The Tar Heels have put an end to the four-game losing streak, winning their last two games. The most recent victory come on Tuesday night when they hammered The Citadel 100-67. North Carolina hit a season-high 15 three-pointers and recorded 24 assists on 32 field goals. Caleb Love led the team with 17 points in the game, while Northwestern transfer Pete Nance had 16 points.

There will be an entertaining battle down low today between Zed Key and Armando Bacot. The North Carolina center recorded his 55th career double-double on Tuesday, scoring 14 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Bacot now has 62 where he has pulled down at least 10 rebounds in a game. For the season, Bacot is averaging 16.4 points per game and 11.3 rebounds per game.

Bacot is second on the team in scoring, with Caleb Love averaging a team-high 18.0 points per game. It will be rare to see Love off the court during today’s game since he has played at least 30 minutes in all but one game this year. Love had one of the most ridiculous lines in the four-overtime loss to Alabama, with the guard playing 58 minutes in the game.

North Carolina has two other players averaging double figures in scoring this year. R.J. Davis is averaging 15.2 points per game, and Pete Nance is putting up 13.0 points per game. Rounding out the starting lineup is guard Leaky Black, who is averaging 31.5 minutes per game. The Tar Heels aren’t a very deep team, as they only have three other players who are averaging more than 10 minutes per game this season.

Prediction


After a stretch that saw them travel to Maui and then down to Durham for a showdown with Duke, Ohio State has been able to catch their breath a bit since they haven’t played a game in over a week. The Buckeyes do have to deal with not having a couple of key players in the lineup today, since Issac Likekele will miss his second straight game, and Eugene Brown III is still recovering from a concussion.

North Carolina has won the majority of matchups with Ohio State over the years, but the last time the teams met, the Buckeyes easily beat the Tar Heels on their own court. North Carolina is the one team in the CBS Sports Classic field that the Buckeyes have yet to defeat in the annual event. If there was ever a year to beat North Carolina in the event, this would be the year.

Even though the Tar Heels have some star power in Caleb Love and Armando Bacot, Ohio State feels like a more complete team right now. The Buckeyes have Zed Key to match up with Bacot, Justice Sueing to do a little bit of everything, fabulous freshmen Brice Sensabaugh and Bruce Thornton, as well as impactful transfers Sean McNeil and Tanner Holden.

This has all the makings of being a very entertaining game, as well as a matchup that we could see in the NCAA Tournament. Right now it feels like North Carolina is still trying to find their identity because of their limited bench, while Ohio State feels like a team that knows who they are. With veterans like Sueing and Key, the Buckeyes are able to put things together just a little better and squeeze out a win at Madison Square Garden.

ESPN BPI: Ohio State 59.2%
Time: 3 p.m. ET
TV: CBS

LGHL score prediction: Ohio State 74, North Carolina 70

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No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball uses second half comeback to blow out Albany 82-57
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State University athletic department

Buckeyes avoid an upset but still tame the Great Danes in final non-conference home game of the season

It was a festive, yuletide feeling inside the Schottenstein Center leading into Friday night’s Ohio State women’s basketball game. With Christmas music blaring and fake snow graphics donning the video board, the Buckeyes welcomed UAlbany for the last Ohio State home game until New Year’s Eve. Even though the Great Danes gave the home team a challenge, Ohio State wasn’t in the giving spirit, beating the Great Danes 82-57.

Although the Buckeyes had a positive result, a negative was the continued absence of guard Jacy Sheldon. During pregame warm-ups, Sheldon stood off-court not putting pressure on her right leg, on crutches. In past games, the guard wore a smaller boot without the crutches, a troubling sign for Sheldon who’s currently week-to-week according to head coach Kevin McGuff.

The Buckeyes had a challenge ahead of them, against a University at Albany team who plays the Princeton offensive system. In other words, they play with a lot of off-the-ball movement, multiple on and off-the-ball screens, and work to exploit mismatches.

Stepping up early though Friday night was forward Cotie McMahon. The Dayton-area freshman scored the first nine points for Ohio State, and 11 in the quarter.

Defensively, a team that’s struggled in half-court defense this year played a good first quarter, forcing six turnovers. Part of those turnovers though was the Great Danes making poor passes and turning the ball over needlessly. The Scarlet & Gray went into the second quarter up 21-12, but Albany wouldn’t be down for long.

It took almost three minutes for Ohio State to score a point in the second half, Instead, Albany created open looks in the halfcourt, and cut a nine-point deficit into a three-point lead.

Part of that deficit cut came from poor shooting for the home team. Ohio State missed their first five shots from deep. Combine that with the Great Danes isolating, hitting shots, and getting a few lucky bounces and a comfortable first quarter turned into a considerably less comfortable second.

Getting the Scarlet & Gray back into the lead was McMahon. After guard Taylor Mikesell hit a game-tying three going into the second-quarter media timeout, McMahon scored the next five points. Going into the locker room with Ohio State up 34-31, McMahon scored 17 points and had four rebounds. She was the difference for the Buckeyes between going into the third quarter either up or down.

The last time the Buckeyes played a team from the America East, Ohio State came out in the second half and held the New Hampshire Wildcats to seven points in two quarters. The Scarlet & Gray hoped for another turnaround against the Danes.

While the Buckeyes didn’t hold the Danes to seven second-half points, they came out with renewed focus in the second half on defense. Ohio State held UAlbany to 12 points in the quarter and played more sound offense.

It started right away with McMahon, who seems to have a knack for starting halves strong. The forward hit a layup, grabbed a steal in the Buckeyes' offensive zone, and found Mikesell for the layup. All within 15 seconds.

McMahon started a third quarter where Ohio State scored 25 points, and leading the way was guard Madison Greene. The Pickerington, Ohio native kept calm even as the Scarlet & Gray were underperforming. In the quarter she scored seven and added three steals.

Ohio State had trouble guarding one player on UAlbany, Swedish forward Helene Haegerstrand. The 6-foot-1 playmaker was strong in the paint, scoring six of her 21 points in the third.

Even so, coach McGuff bounced back from a tough first half and entered the fourth quarter up 59-43, with one quarter left to build some consistency.

Although she started the game slowly, Mikesell grew the lead quickly in the fourth quarter. The guard hit two threes in the first 2:30 of the quarter, plus a fast break layup to get Ohio State into a more comfortable 24-point lead.

From there, Ohio State kept the momentum and replaces starters with bench players for the remaining four minutes of the game. Part of that bench was forward Eboni Walker, who played more minutes with forward Rebeka Mikulášiková having an off night, scoring four points total.

Walker had six points, three rebounds and two steals for her most productive game as an upperclassmen transfer from Syracuse University.

The Buckeyes pulled away, ultimately coming away with a 82-57 victory.

McMahon Tear Continues

For the third game in a row, the Buckeyes’ highly-ranked freshman recruit had a game. McMahon bested her career high on offense, scoring 24 points. They mostly came from making aggressive moves to the basket and drawing fouls, creating extra point opportunities.

It was an all-around impact though for the forward. McMahon always stayed busy on defense, getting back on to cover, going after steals on the floor, and covering space on the court with her speed.

Quiet Game for Top Scorers


Entering Friday, Mikesell and Mikulášiková averaged 36.1 combined points per game for the Buckeyes. Against UAlbany, the two couldn’t find their shooting in the game. For Mikesell, who made one first-half three, the shots from beyond the arc weren’t falling, with one even creating a rare shot that didn’t touch close to the rim, sailing out of bounds.

The two had nine combined points at the end of the third quarter.

Instead of a big game by two Buckeyes, all nine players got onto the scoresheet. McMahon’s 22 points were the outlier in a game where everyone had to provide something offensively.

What’s Next


The Scarlet and Gray have off until Sunday, when they travel west to San Diego, California. On the schedule are two games in two days at the San Diego Invitational. Up first, on Dec. 20, is a match-up against the USF Bulls, at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Depending on the results of Tuesday’s 1 p.m. ET game between the No. 16 Oregon Ducks and Arkansas Razorbacks, the Buckeyes will play one of the two teams on Dec. 21.

Then comes a break for Ohio State until Dec. 28, when they travel to the Chicagoland area to face the Northwestern Wildcats.

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You’re Nuts: Is Purdue the best college basketball team in the country?
justingolba via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

The Boilers are ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll once again, and they visit the Buckeyes in three weeks.

Listen, folks. Many people have called us haters. That we “don’t know ball.” Many people have called us idiots and other vile names on the internet — namely, Rutgers and Wisconsin fans — and it was probably warranted! This week, we’re putting our hater hats on and questioning the legitimacy of yet another Big Ten giant — Purdue.

But first, a recap.


Last week, Connor and Justin debated whether USC and UCLA joining the Big Ten in 2024 was good for the Big Ten from a basketball standpoint. Overwhelmingly, the people sided with Justin, agreeing that it’s a good thing that these two west coast powers are joining the Big Ten. The Kent State kid picked up a whopping 73% of the vote. That means Justin’s long-overdue comeback is finally complete.

After 79 weeks:

Connor- 33
Justin- 33
Other- 9

(There have been four ties)


As previously stated, the No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers (10-0, 2-0) are looking down on everyone from the top spot in the AP Poll for the second year in a row — they were No. 1 for one week last season, too. But are the Boilermakers really the best team in the country? That is this week’s discussion.

Today’s question: Is Purdue the best team in the country?

Connor: No

Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

This is a very, very good Purdue team — much better than I gave them credit for at the beginning of the season. Through 10 games, pretty much all of the concerns people had with this Purdue team (that was picked to finish fifth in the conference) have been addressed.

Can Zach Edey stay out of foul trouble and play enough minutes to really dominate games? Well, he’s averaging nearly 32 minutes per game and is scoring 22 points per night to go along with 13.7 rebounds.

Will Purdue produce a few complementary scorers to ensure that teams can’t sell out against Edey? Freshman guards Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith are averaging 22.4 points per game combined thus far, plus an assist-to-turnover ratio of better than 2:1. Smith is also shooting 43% from three.

Can they play enough defense to overcome possible slow offensive nights? Right now, they’re the No. 28 defense according to KenPom.

The issue is, a lot of this may not be sustainable. Right now, Purdue is shooting just a hair under 34% as a team from three-point land — 10th in the Big Ten. That’s not a horrid number, but it’s not good, and it’s certainly not indicative of a team that may be the best in the nation. I think the Boilermakers are playing above their actual level right now, and the shooting numbers might not improve — that’s bad for Purdue and bad for Edey.

I’m also skeptical that guys like Loyer, Smith, and even Edey himself can keep up this unbelievable pace. The freshmen are going to hit bumps — they always do. When this happens, defenses will shrink and Edey will have much less space to work with. He’ll be forced to take some heavily contested shots, or kick it back out. Since the success of this team entirely hinges on him, that’s important.


Some recent results are also concerning. Going to overtime against Nebraska as the No. 1 team in the country? Beating a one-win Florida State team by 10 points? Purdue was playing with fire on the road against two bad teams and luckily didn’t get burnt either time.

I think Purdue is the favorite to win the Big Ten right now, but I wouldn’t say they’re anywhere near a “heavy” favorite. UConn is rolling on all cylinders, Houston has only lost one game (against an elite opponent), and Alabama is just scratching the surface of what they could become. While they’ve earned the No. 1 spot for now, I don’t think Purdue is the best basketball team in the country.

The really fun question is, when Purdue visits Columbus on January 5, how much will the Boilermakers be favored by?

Justin: Yes

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images

I’m back baby. Also pretty inevitable I will lose this lead (tie but to me, it is a lead) pretty soon. But nevertheless, here we are.

This week, I am going out on a limb and I am going to say that the No. 1 team in the country is the No. 1 team in the country. Call me crazy.

It has been a very weird season in the college hoops world in general. No one has been able to stay at the top of the mountain and the team that started at the top of the mountain isn’t even ranked anymore (looking at you North Carolina).

Purdue has moved all the way from their preseason ranking of No. 24 to now No. 1 in the country after their 10-0 start. The Boilermakers have risen to the cream of the crop after just one month basically and have convincing wins over Gonzaga and Duke by 20.

One thing going for the Boilermakers is they have the best player in the country right now in Zach Edey. Edey is averaging 22 points per game and 13.7 rebounds per game while shooting 60 percent from the field. He had 31 and 22 in one game. Granted against Minnesota but still.


And as everyone predicted, they have two of the best freshman in the country right now. Fletcher Loyer is averaging 13 points per game and Braden Smith is averaging 9.3 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game, and 3.6 assists per game. Caleb Furst and Ethan Morton have played great ball and after missing all of last season with an injury, Trey Kaufman-Renn has bounced back in a big way. And of course, always trust in Matt Painter.

It can also basically be assumed that they will win every game at Mackey Arena because that is just what they do. One of the toughest places to play in the country and is not a place many teams are able to come into and win.

And they have proven they can win the close ones. They beat Nebraska in overtime and beat Florida State after playing a close game most of the way through. They have blown out Gonzaga and Duke. They got it all.

And hopefully, they are 13-0 when they come to Columbus on Jan. 5.

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Forgotten Buckeyes, Special Edition: Jamaal Brown
Josh Dooley via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ohio State Athletics / ohiostatebuckeyes.com

LGHL’s recent summer staple ‘Forgotten Buckeyes’ is back — for at least one week, and with one very special edition.

I will try to keep the intro relatively short for this one: Forgotten Buckeyes is an ongoing series which highlights and remembers certain underappreciated Buckeyes from some time ago. Those who may have been forgotten since they last donned the scarlet and gray. Other OSU fans and media types have taken a similar approach to recognition, but this is my personal way of paying homage to those who left an indelible mark at Ohio State.


This time around, I wanted to show appreciation and a fond remembrance for a certain OSU legend who is, unfortunately, no longer with us. This man sadly passed a month ago, and his passing had an oddly profound affect on me. He was one of the first Buckeyes I remember seeing in-person — and just rooting for. He wasn’t the star of his teams or the most exciting player in the world, but that didn’t matter to me. I liked his game, I liked his effort, and I liked watching him play basketball in St. John Arena.

And I like that I still have memories of attending his games with my old man. My dad and I have attended fewer and fewer Ohio State games together as we’ve both gotten older, and most of them I couldn’t tell you a single thing about. But I’ll never forget the games I watched with him in St. John — as a kid, no less! Nowadays, I can’t even tell you what I had for breakfast, but I somehow remember a vengeful Eric Montross in 1992. I remember watching Jimmy Jackson for the first time, and thinking he was the next Michael Jordan.

And I remember former OSU guard Jamaal Brown. So without further ado...


Having moved from New Jersey to Texas, Jamaal Brown was a long way from Columbus (OH) when Ohio State staffers first became familiar with the future basketball team captain. Familiarity soon developed into something more, and the rest – as they say – is history. But this relationship between player and program did not start out as some traditional recruiting courtship.

It was actually Brown who contacted OSU first, sending a letter to the legendary Gary Williams and his assistant at the time, coach-turned-analyst Fran Frischilla. He (Brown) was an under-the-radar TX hooper and high jumper, looking to get noticed, and recruiting was just a tad different in the late 1980’s. So he did what sounded reasonable at the time: took his game and his personality to coaches, as opposed to waiting around for blind luck to potentially dictate his future. And boy, did Brown’s effort and tenacity work out well for all.

That signature effort and tenacity also led to Brown’s suboptimal first appearance in front of Williams. In a humorous turn of events, the former Ohio State head coach attended a game with Frischilla – to observe Brown up close and in-person – and proceeded to watch his future guard foul out in 10 minutes. Talk about first impressions...

But despite that rather inauspicious performance, OSU maintained interest, and eventually fought off the defending NCAA champs (the ’88 Kansas Jayhawks, AKA Danny and the Miracles) for Brown’s services. He joined a recruiting class which included Chris Jent, forming the early core of what would become a very special and inarguably successful group of Buckeye ballers.

Brown joined Ohio State’s program for the 1988-89 season, and absolutely hit the ground running. He immediately earned a role in Williams’ starting backcourt, alongside super bucket-getter Jay Burson. With Perry Carter and Jerry Francis also packing an offensive punch, Brown was not asked to score much — and he never did, really. But he had all the tools, played team ball, and more importantly, began to establish himself as a rugged defender.

The Buckeyes began their ’88-89 season 17-6, earning a top-20 ranking along the way. However, Burson suffered a near-paralyzing neck injury in mid-February, halting the team’s momentum and more significantly, jeopardizing his own playing career. He was able to bounce back and eventually play 34 games for the CBA’s Columbus Horizon, but his presence was sorely missed by the scarlet and gray. OSU sputtered to a 19-15 record overall, missing out on an NCAA Tournament bid. That would be the only season – of his four spent in Columbus – in which Brown did not go dancing in March.

As a sophomore, Brown and his teammates were joined by Jim Jackson. Hailing from Toledo (OH), this incoming freshman was viewed as a can’t-miss prospect, and it’s fair to say that he panned out quite well. Jackson immediately replaced the scoring of Burson, rounding out a talented Ohio State roster. Now coached by Randy Ayers, the Buckeyes finished ’89-90 with a 17-13 record, reaching the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

They lost to the eventual champions in UNLV, but Brown helped keep the game close with his typical hard-nosed defense. He also added 11 points and seven rebounds, matching the offensive output of the Big Ten Freshman of the Year (Jackson). Onward and upward, OSU – and Brown – continued to improve, making a deep run in the tournament during each of the next two seasons.

Brown produced his most impactful scoring season as junior, pouring in 12 points per game during the ’90-91 campaign. A modest number for some, but Brown had the scoring gene — it came down to whether or not he chose (or was asked) to use it. He did so in January, tallying a career-high 29 points in Assembly Hall, and helping to knock off the third-ranked Indiana Hoosiers. He also splashed a team-high 34 three-pointers throughout the course of the season, flashing characteristics of the modern 3-and-D archetype.

The “D” referenced above stands for defense, which was always Brown’s calling card. He regularly drew the opponent’s toughest backcourt matchup, and at a minimum, made them experience 25+ minutes of frustration (Brown averaged 26.5 minutes/gm for his collegiate career). He displayed those impressive defensive chops during the second round of the ’91 tourney, when Ohio State defeated Georgia Tech in the round of 32. Brown put handcuffs on All-American guard Kenny Anderson, leading to an 8-for-28 shooting night from the latter.

The Buckeyes eventually fell in the Sweet 16, but Brown and his teammates had found something special. They finished the ’90-91 season with an outstanding 27-4 record — a win total which would not be topped until Thad Matta’s 2006-07 squad finished with 35.

A senior for the ‘92-93 season, Brown was named a captain, and again helped lead a very talented and successful team. Having earned the nickname “Mr. Dependable” from his coaches and teammates, the fourth-year stalwart provided his trademark defense and leadership, in addition to 9.9 PPG and 3.0 rebounds. The Buckeyes were loaded with experience, added transfer big man Lawrence Funderburke, and made a run to the Elite Eight. They unfortunately lost an overtime heartbreaker to TTUN (yes, that one), ending the OSU careers of Brown, Jent, Jackson, and others.

During Brown’s four years in Columbus, Ohio State won 89 games. He started 126 in total, averaging 9.0 points per. His teams experienced a great deal of postseason success, and Brown was one of their most consistent contributors. #30 did a little bit of everything, and became a beloved teammate along the way.

I was unfortunately unable to find much regarding Brown’s post-playing career, only that he was back in Texas at the time of his unfortunate passing on November 14. But you don’t have to look far to find an outpouring of love and appreciation from those who knew the former Buckeye, which goes to show just how special he was.

Rest In Peace, Jamaal Brown. You will be missed.

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Which Buckeye will win Offensive Rookie of the Year?
meganhusslein via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Adam Bettcher/Getty Images

It’s a shame there can’t be a tie.

Buckeyes aren’t just good at Ohio State; once they go pro, they dominate in the NFL, too! Especially this new generation of Buckeyes — the receiving duo of Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are doing amazing, as we all suspected they would be.

The only problem is, there can only be ONE Offensive Rookie of the Year. Who will it be?

Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images

At the moment, Wilson currently has the best odds to win out of all the rookies. As a Jets fan, I can attest more to his success rather than Olave’s, because I watch Wilson every week. It doesn’t matter who the quarterback has been, he has put the team on his back and carried them to victory.

Wilson has quickly become WR1 on the Jets’ offense. He has adjusted rather seamlessly to the NFL, and is a lot tougher than I thought he would be. No hate on the man, but he is a bit small and therefore I thought he would be fragile. That is definitely not the case, as he takes big hits each week and pops right back up.

On the season, he has 868 yards on 63 receptions and four touchdowns. He is averaging 13.8 yards per catch. That’s pretty dang good! His total yards are good for 16th best in the league. When you think about all of the great receivers in the NFL and the yards they’re racking up each game, it’s impressive to see Wilson right there with them.

Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Wow, I knew Olave was doing well, but I didn’t know just how well. In fact, his stats are almost identical to Wilson’s. He has 887 yards, good for 12th best in the league, on 60 receptions and three touchdowns. He is also averaging 14.8 yards per catch. Both receiver’s stats are just phenomenal for first-year players.

Olave is also WR1 on the Saints, as Michael Thomas has been injured for the majority of the year. The second-leading receiver on the team is Jarvis Landry, and he only has 272 yards. It is impressive how well Olave has been doing considering the quarterbacks that have been throwing to him. Jameis Winston struggled and Andy Dalton hasn’t done much better. I’m sure that both Olave and Wilson wish they had Justin Fields throwing to them again!

The Saints have a star running back in Alvin Kamara, and he is relied heavily upon in the run and passing game. Otherwise, Olave makes up the majority of New Orleans’ pass attack. Without him, they would be struggling more than they already are. He has been showing all season long why he is so important to this team.

It is so difficult to decide which Buckeye receiver should win OROY. They are pretty much in identical situations by being on mediocre teams (except I would argue that the Jets are better than mediocre), quickly become WR1 and finding success while doing so. Their stats and importance to their teams are also both the same. I know the title of this column was “Which Buckeye will win Offensive Rookie of the Year?” but I honestly don’t have an answer for you.

Obviously, I’d be happy with either, but let’s circle back in a couple of weeks.

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Three early bowl games to watch this weekend
CMinnich via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Photo by Andy Altenburger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

College Football Bowl Season begins this weekend

Let’s face it — the college football season always goes by way too fast, and then we have months of incessant longing for anything related to the sport. And while the early college football bowls may not necessarily rank among the best games, it is important to remember the alternatives at this time of year — watching Harry and Marv suffer countless fatal injuries in “Home Alone” for the umpteenth time? Or watching a rerun of “Elf”? Don’t be a cotton headed ninny muggins! Turn on some college football!

The lovely Mrs. Minnich and I have our usual errands to run and tasks to complete for the holidays on Saturday morning, but below are Three Early Bowl Games To Watch this coming Saturday, beginning at 11:30 a.m. ET...

1. The Wasabi Fenway Bowl (Cincinnati at Louisville), 11:30 a.m. ET on ESPN

This game offers plenty of intrigue, as Cincinnati lost their head coach Luke Fickell to Wisconsin, leaving former Ohio State assistant and current Cincinnati secondary coach/special teams coordinator Kerry Coombs to serve as the interim head coach in the Bearcats’ bowl preparations. While Coombs on the sideline is always entertaining, that is not where the intrigue comes in.

Cincinnati, looking for a permanent head coach, hired Scott Satterfield... from Louisville. So the Cardinals will be facing their former head coach, in the inaugural Wasabi Fenway Bowl. Cincinnati and Louisville have not faced each other since the 2013 season, and the weather forecast for the game is projecting to be a crisp 39 degrees at kickoff.

2. The SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (Florida at #14 Oregon State), 2:30 p.m. ET on ESPN

This bowl game will mark the first time that these two teams have ever faced each other. Florida is coming off a 6-6 season under first-year head coach Billy Napier, while Oregon State comes in as a 10 point favorite by the oddsmakers, as the Beavers had a surprisingly quiet but solid 9-3 season in 2022.

Florida is also handicapped by the number of players who have already opted out for the 2023 NFL Draft, such as quarterback Anthony Richardson, as well as their top backup quarterback Jalen Kitna being dismissed from school after a recent arrest. This means former Ohio State quarterback Jack Miller is in line to get his first start in this bowl game, so here is an opportunity for Ohio State fans to see what might have been had Miller stuck around Columbus.

3. The New Mexico Bowl (SMU at BYU), 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC

Two 7-5 teams squaring off for an evening bowl game on ABC, and it is not the first time that these two teams have played in a bowl game. Back in 1980, BYU defeated SMU in The Holiday Bowl 46-45, with the Cougars rallying behind the passing of Jim McMahon, defeating the Pony Excess Express led by Eric Dickerson and Craig James.

While this game does not have the same type of name-recognition players in it as that 1980 game, both teams average better than 30 points a game. It truly could come down to whichever team has the ball last. SMU is the slight favorite by the oddsmakers, with a -3.5 point spread.

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Heads up… getting spam messages to my BP Inbox. Looks like users registering and then spamming.

https://buckeyeplanet.com/forum/members/adriehara52.30998/

Not sure how wide spread it is, but if they’ve found a way to automate the messaging once authenticated, you may want to get in front of it.

Happy Holidays BP Staff.

Game Preview: No. 3 Ohio State women’s basketball vs. Albany
1ThomasCostello via our friends at Land-Grant Holy Land
Visit their fantastic blog and read the full article (and so much more) here


Ben Cole - Land-Grant Holy Land

The Buckeyes look for a great end to their 2022-23 regular season home non-conference schedule against the Great Danes.

The Ohio State women’s basketball team returns to non-conference play on Friday, this time facing another team from the America East conference. Another because Ohio State faced a side from the same East Coast conference last week.

On Dec. 8, the University of New Hampshire Wildcats came to Columbus and played in front of 4,000 Columbus City School students. Friday’s game will be a different challenge, playing the University of Albany — a team near the top of the conference.

This will be Ohio State’s last non-conference home game of the regular season. With a trip to San Diego on the horizon, there’s a chance Albany could make the game more interesting than some other home non-conference opponents.

Preview


Albany isn’t from a major conference, but they’re the third 2022 NCAA Tournament team to face the Buckeyes this season. While the Tennessee Volunteers and Louisville Cardinals made it there based on strong conference schedules and feature top recruits, the Great Danes made it through winning their conference tournament.

Even though the No. 16 Great Danes lost to No. 1 ranked Louisville Cardinals in the first round of last year’s tournament, Albany isn’t a team that avoids a challenge. Within the America East conference, Albany is in high regard, voted the top team in the America East preseason poll.

This year, Albany’s faces two ACC teams in their non-conference schedule, already playing one of them against the Boston College Eagles — the same Eagles Ohio State beat in their second game of the season. Boston College got the best of Albany, winning 74-62, but competing with ACC teams is no small feat.

If the Buckeyes are focused on a trip to San Diego, California, and a potential match-up against the No. 16 Oregon Ducks, Albany can take advantage of lulls in Ohio State’s energy. The Great Danes can do that because of their team’s foundation.

“One thing about them is they have a lot of older kids, they’re really experienced,” said Buckeyes’ head coach Kevin McGuff. “They execute a lot of stuff on offense, a lot of Princeton stuff that’s not easy to guard.”

Although they sit at 6-6, Albany is a team that’s competed all season through a list of early injuries. Mainly junior guard Kayla Cooper. A 2021-22 Second Team All-American East honoree, and 2022-23 Preseason All-Conference Team selection, Cooper’s just made it back to the court on Wednesday, in a 47-46 win against Stonehill College.

Cooper was second on the Danes last season in scoring, averaging 11.2 points per game and was a force on the boards. The 6-foot guard grabbed 237 rebounds on the season, leading Albany and the third most in the conference.

The guard played 17 minutes in her season debut, off the bench. There’s no word on if Cooper’s next minutes will be in the starting lineup.

Photo by Michelle Hutchins/NCAA Photos via Getty Images
Ellen Hahne (10) in the 2022 NCAA tournament. It’s unsure if the impact guard will play Friday, due to illness.

Another potential absence from the starting lineup is guard Ellen Hahne. The Swedish Wake Forest transfer has had a strong third season with the Great Danes. In 11 straight starts, Hahne averages a team high in 14.9 points and 5.5 rebounds per game.

Unfortunately for Albany, Hahne missed practice on Tuesday with an undisclosed illness, missing the game against Stonehill. If Hahne plays, she provides an attacker on offense who can exploit a half court defense who’s struggled once teams got past the Ohio State full court press.

Projected Starters

Lineup notes

• The Buckeyes still have five players who average double-digit points, but guard Taylor Mikesell has passed forward Rebeka Mikulášiková with 18.9 points per game, compared to 17.2 for the forward.
• A start Friday, and guard Madison Greene moves ahead of injured Jacy Sheldon in starts this season with six.
• Forward/guard Taylor Thierry’s 27 offensive rebounds is seventh best in the Big Ten so far this season.

Lineup notes

• Joining Cooper on the American East Preseason All-Conference Team is forward Helene Haegerstrand. The Swedish forward averages 12.3 points per game and has six blocks on the season.
• Redshirt junior Morgan Haney hails from Piqua, Ohio — north of Dayton — which means there will be a strong away support for the Great Danes.
• Guard Grace Heeps leads the team in defensive rebounds with 53, showing strong movement into the paint to grab boards as a guard.

Preview


The Buckeyes could be surprised by the Great Danes, but it doesn’t seem likely. While Albany is returning their strongest names from illness and injury, Ohio State is also an experienced team. All throughout the early season, the Scarlet & Gray have shown that even when they have a down quarter or two, they have the ability to flip a switch and take over a game.

Ohio State will have a strong crowd behind them on a Friday night, and it’ll propel the Buckeyes in their final home game until New Year’s Eve.

A player to watch is Taylor Thierry. Sure, Thierry’s been a solid performer all season, but Thierry is close to her first double-double. That could happen against the Great Danes who are out rebounded this season by 0.5 boards per game.

Albany can keep the game close, but won’t be able to compete against No. 3 Ohio State for 40 minutes.

How to Watch


Date: Friday, Dec. 16, 2022
Time: 6:00 p.m. ET
Where: Schottenstein Center - Columbus, Ohio
Stream: B1G+

LGHL Prediction: 91-54 Ohio State Buckeyes

Jacy Sheldon Injury Watch


A question entering every game now is “will Jacy Sheldon play?”

That’s unlikely Friday for a couple reasons. First, Sheldon didn’t practice on Wednesday, with everyone else on the roster practicing during media availability. Second, even if healthy enough, there isn’t high reward for the risk of having Sheldon play against the Great Danes.

With that said, there’s not much of a drop with guard Madison Greene in Sheldon’s place. While Sheldon’s six steals per game average can’t be beat by anyone in the NCAA, Greene still plays sound defense on the full and half court.

Offensively, Greene has 58 assists this season — 31 in her five starts, compared to 16 for Sheldon. So, while the same intensity rushing the opponent is missing with Sheldon, the Buckeyes are benefiting offensively.

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